ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
PIB Headquarters
Over 43 lakh quintals of food grains distributed to the poor in Maharashtra
FCI plays a vital role in ensuring food security during lockdown
Mumbai: 18 April 2020
The combined efforts of the Central Government and the Government of Maharashtra is ensuring adequate food security for the poor people in the state. Food grain distribution is being carried out through over 52,000 fair price shops spread across the country. 43.51 lakh quintals of food grains have been distributed within the first fortnight of April amidst the lockdown period.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana, 5kg of food grain – rice in the case of Maharashtra - is being provided free of cost for three months for every beneficiary covered under the National Food Security Act . In addition, 1 kg of pulses – either Tuar dal or Channa dal - per family is also being provided free of cost. This is part of the package Rs 1.72 lakh crore package announced by the Finance Minister Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman to help the poor facing loss of wages, to tide over the situation.
Food Corporation of India  has played a key role in ensuring food security during the lock down period by moving 3.74 million metric tonne food grain stocks using 1,335 train loads, which is more than double its normal average movement. FCI procures bulk of its rice from Punjab and Haryana and also from Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
In the light of Covid outbreak, the Maharashtra government has expanded the ambit of its PDS system and decided to provide grains to Orange ration card holders, who fall in the Above Poverty Line income bracket of Rs 10,000 – 1,00,000 p.a. People falling under this category will get food grains and pulses at subsidized rates. The state has sought 1.54 lakh metric tonnes of additional food grain allocation from the Centre. District administrations across Maharashtra have also been proactively enforcing social distancing, while carrying out food grain distribution.
Subsidized food grains for NGOs and Welfare Organizations
Considering the monumental work being undertaken by the NGOs and other welfare organisations in providing food to the poor and needy in these difficult times, Government of India has come up with the scheme to provide wheat at a subsidized rate of Rs 21/kg and rice at Rs.22/kg to them from any depot of FCI anywhere in the country without any upper limit on quantity.
Already organisations have started utilising this scheme in states like Maharashtra and Karnataka. It is expected that this will provide a vital lifeline in maintaining regular supply of food grains to NGOs and welfare organisations to run relief camps for vulnerable groups during the extended lock down period.
MD/ST/PM
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Ministry of Railways
Cabinet approves payment of Productivity Linked Bonus equivalent to 78 days to railway employees for the financial year 2021-22
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today has given its ex-post facto approval for payment of Productivity Linked Bonus to railway employees for the financial year 2021-22.
Payment of PLB to eligible railway employees is made each year before the Dusshera/Puja holidays. This year also, PLB amount equivalent to 78 days wages has been paid to about 11.27 lakh non-gazetted Railway employees. The maximum amount payable per eligible railway employee is Rs. 17,951/- for 78 days. The above amount has been paid to various categories viz. Track maintainers, Drivers & Guards, Station masters, Supervisors, Technician, Technician Helper, controller, Pointsmen, Ministerial staff & other Group ‘C’ staff.
The financial implication of payment of 78 days PLB to railway employees has been estimated to be Rs. 1832.09 crore. The above decision for payment of PLB has been taken despite adverse financial situation caused by post Covid-19 challenges.
The actual number of PLB days paid is more than the days worked out on the basis of defined formulae. The payment of PLB acts as an incentive to motivate the railway employees for working towards improvement in the performance of the Railways.
Prime Minister's Office
PM to visit Karnataka on 2nd and 3rd January 2020
PM to lay Foundation Stone for Memorial Museum of Shri Shri Shivakumar Swamiji
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, will visit Karnataka on 2nd and 3rd January 2020.
At Tumkur, He will visit the Sree Siddaganga Mutt, where he will unveil a plaque to mark the laying of Foundation Stone for a memorial museum of Shri Shri Shivakumar Swamiji.
The Prime Minister will offer prayers and also plant a sapling at the Mutt. The Chief Minister of Karnataka Shri B. S. Yediyurappa and other dignitaries including Sh. Siddalingeshwara Swamy will be present on the occasion.
Prime Minister will address the gathering.
Ministry of Finance
No requirement of scrip wise reporting for day trading and short-term sale or purchase of listed shares
There was a report in certain section of media that stock traders/day traders are required to furnish scrip wise details in the return of income for AY 2020-21. The gain from share trading in case of stock traders or day traders is generally categorised as short-term capital gains or business income. This is because their holding period of shares/units in most of the cases is less than one year which is a prerequisite for the gains to be categorised as long-term capital gains. As there is no requirement in the return of income for scrip wise reporting in case of short-term/business income arising from share transactions, these reports are distorted and misleading.
The Finance Act, 2018 allowed exemption to the gains made on the listed shares/specified units up to 31.01.2018 by introducing grandfathering mechanism for computation of long-term capital gains for these shares. The scrip wise details in the return of income for AY 2020-21 is required to be filled up only for the reporting of the long-term capital gains for these shares/units which are eligible for the benefit of grandfathering.
As the grandfathering is to be allowed by comparing different values  for each shares/units, there is a need to capture the scrip wise details for computing capital gains of these shares/units. The scrip wise details are not required in income tax return forms for AY 2020-21 for computation of capital gains/business income from shares/units which are not eligible for grandfathering.
Without this reporting requirement, there may be situations where taxpayer may not claim or wrongly claim the benefit of grandfathering due to lack of understanding of the provisions. Also, if the above calculation is not made scrip wise and taxpayer is allowed to enter the total figures only, there will be no way for the income tax authorities to check the correctness of the claim and therefore many returns will require to be audited, which may lead to unnecessary grievances/rectifications at a later stage. If scrip wise long-term gain is available, it can be cross verified by the Department electronically with stock exchange, brokerage companies, etc and there will be no need to subject these income tax returns to further audits or scrutiny.
Thus, the main intent behind requiring scrip wise detail is to facilitate the taxpayer in correctly computing the long-term capital gains on these shares/units. Requirement to provide scrip wise information in the income tax return is not unique to India. Internationally also, the taxpayer is required to provide scrip wise information for reporting capital gains. For example in USA, a taxpayer having capital gains from transfer of shares is required to fill scrip wise details in Schedule-D of Form 1040 – income tax return form in USA.
Ministry of Railways
Measures to Ensure Gender Equality in Employment in Railways
To enhance women participation in selection and recruitment in various level-I posts, the following steps are being taken:
- Application fee collected from women candidates are refunded to those who appeared in the examination.
- Upper age limit in case of widows, divorced women and women judicially separated from their husbands who are not remarried is relaxed upto age of 35 years.
- For level-1 categories, relaxed qualifying standards for the Physical Efficiency Test  for women candidates are applied.
- Facility of online application form ensures that women are able to apply even from their home for Railway recruitment notifications.
- Wide publicity is given to Railway recruitment notification and every candidate, irrespective of the gender, etc. fulfilling eligibility criteria is free to apply.
This information was given by the Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronic & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
Ministry of Communications
Annual Scholarships to Children under Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana
Deen Dayal SPARSH Yojana is introduced by the Department of Posts to award Annual Scholarships to Children in the class category of Standard VIth to IXth for Promotion of Aptitude & Research in Stamps as a Hobby. Students studying in class VI to IX of recognised schools having good academic record and pursuing Philately as a hobby will be awarded scholarship of Rs 6000/- per annum @ Rs 500/- per month on the basis of the competition comprising level-1, Written Philately Quiz and Level-2, Philately Project for final selection.
The Last Date of receipt of Application by the Concerned Postal Division: 12.08.2022
The tentative date of the Written Philately Quiz : 04.09.2022
The detailed notification about the scholarship scheme, syllabus of written Quiz, Philatelic Project works, etc are available on the website: odishapost.gov.in
For further information, Senior Superintendent/Superintendent of Post Offices of concerned Postal Division, Regional offices, Sambalpur, PMG/ Berhampur, and O/o the Chief P.M.G, Odisha Circle, Bhubaneswar can also be contacted.
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Ministry of Defence
Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh Takes Over As Flag Officer Commanding-In-Chief, Western Naval Command
Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, AVSM, VSM took over as the Flag Officer Commanding–in-Chief , Western Naval Command  from Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, ADC at an impressive Ceremonial Parade held at INS Shikra.
Prior to taking over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the WNC, Vice Admiral AB Singh served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command. He is among the very few Commanders-in- Chief who have been bestowed with the unparalleled honour and unique distinction of heading both operational commands of the Indian Navy.
Vice Adm AB Singh also paid homage to all personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice in service to the Nation by placing a floral wreath at the Gaurav Stambh - Victory at Sea Memorial, at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
Commissioned into the Navy on 01 July 1983, Vice Admiral AB Singh is a specialist in Navigation and Direction. An alumnus of UP Sainik School, Lucknow and the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, he received his first Master’s degree from Madras University during the Staff Course at Defence Services Staff College, Wellington wherein he was also awarded the Scudder Medal. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Global Security from Cranfield University, United Kingdom in 2005.
A recipient of the Ati Vishist Seva Medal and Vishist Seva Medal, he has held several key operational, staff and training appointments in his naval career. He was the Navigating Officer of INS Kamorta  and destroyer INS Ranjit, besides being the Fleet Navigating Officer of the Western Fleet during Op Parakram. He has immense experience of serving at WNC in several appointments. All four of his operational commands have been of ships based at Mumbai - Indian Naval Ships Veer , Vindhyagiri , Trishul  and Viraat . He has also been an instructor at the National Defence Academy at Pune and the Navigation and Direction School at Kochi, and Directing Staff at Defence Services Staff College Wellington.
He was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral in 2012 and served in the important staff appointment of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff  at Naval Headquarters. Thereafter, he has commanded the prestigious Eastern Fleet. On promotion to Vice Admiral in 2015, he served as Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Forces Command, the Chief of Staff of WNC at Mumbai and later as Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence
Staff  at the Integrated Defence Staff, New Delhi.
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(MK/VM/JSN
Ministry of External Affairs
Cabinet gives ex-post facto approval to MoU between India and UK on Global Innovation Partnership
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi gives ex-post facto approval to the signing of Memorandum of Understanding  between the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of Republic of India and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office  of the United Kingdom on Global Innovation Partnership .
Objectives:
Through this MoU, India and UK agree to launch the Global Innovation Partnership. GIP will support Indian innovators to scale up their innovations in third countries thereby helping them explore new markets and become self sustainable. It will also foster the innovative ecosystem in India. GIP innovations will focus on Sustainable Development Goals  related sectors thereby assisting recipient countries achieve their SDGs.
Through seed funding, grants, investments and technical assistance, the Partnership will support Indian entrepreneurs and innovators to test, scale up and take their innovative development solutions to select developing countries.
The innovations selected under GIP would accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and benefit the base of the pyramid populations thus promoting equity and inclusivity in recipient countries.
GIP will also develop an open and inclusive e-market place  for cross border innovation transfer and will focus on results based impact assessment thereby promoting transparency and accountability.
DS
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Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 UPDATE
213.01 cr Total Vaccine doses  have been administered so far under Nationwide Vaccination Drive
25,83,815 doses administered in last 24 hours
India's Active caseload currently stands at 56,745
Active cases stand at 0.13%
Recovery Rate currently at 98.68%
9,651 recoveries in the last 24 hours increases Total Recoveries to
4,38,65,016
7,219 new cases recorded in the last 24 hours
Daily positivity rate 
Weekly Positivity Rate 
88.68 cr Total Tests conducted so far; 3,64,886 tests conducted in the last 24 hours
Prime Minister's Office
PM greets people across India on various festivals
PM greets people across India on various festivals
(The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has greeted people across India on the various festivals.
“Greetings to people across India on the various festivals. May this auspicious day bring joy & prosperity in everyone's lives.
আমার বাঙালি বন্ধুদের জানাই শুভ নববর্ষ। আপনাদের সবাইকে ১লা বৈশাখের শুভেচ্ছা এবং এক অসাধারণ আগামী বছরের জন্য প্রার্থনা করি।
Shubho Nabo Barsho to my Bengali friends. Wishing you all on Poila Boishakh & praying for a wonderful year ahead.
ব\'হাগ বিহুৰ শুভক্ষণত অসমবাসীলৈ বহুত বহুত শুভেচ্ছা জনালোঁ।
Wishing the people of Assam on the auspicious occasion of Bohag Bihu.
என் தமிழ் சகோதர சகோதரிகளுக்கு இனிய தமிழ் புத்தாண்டு வாழ்த்துகள். இந்த ஆண்டு முழுவதும் மகிழ்ச்சியும் நல்ல ஆரோக்கியமும் வளமும் கிடைக்கட்டும்
Greetings on Puthandu to my Tamil sisters & brothers. May the year be full of happiness, good health and prosperity.
കേരളത്തിലെ ജനങ്ങള്ക്ക് എന്റെ വിഷു ആശംസകള്. വരും വര്ഷം സന്തോഷവും നല്ലആരോഗ്യവും പ്രദാനം ചെയ്യട്ടെയെന്ന് ഞാന് പ്രാര്ത്ഥിക്കുന്നു.
On the special occasion of Vishu, I convey my good wishes to the people of Kerala. I pray the coming year brings joy & good health.
ପ୍ରିୟ ଓଡିଶାବାସୀଙ୍କୁ ମହାବିଷୁବ ସଂକ୍ରାନ୍ତିର ଅଭିନନ୍ଦନ । ନବବର୍ଷରେ ଆପଣମାନଙ୍କ ସକଳ ଆଶା ଓ ଅଭିଳାଷ ପୂରଣ ହେଉ ବୋଲି ମୋର ଶୁଭକାମନା ।
Greetings to all Odia people on Maha Vishuba Sankranti. May all your wishes be fulfilled in the coming year.” the Prime Minister said in a series of tweets.
Prime Minister's Office
Mr. Yang Jiechi, State Councillor of the People’s Republic of China, calls on PM
Mr. Yang Jiechi, State Councillor of the People's Republic of China and Special Representative of China on the Boundary Question, called on Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today.
Mr. Yang Jiechi conveyed the greetings of President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang to the Prime Minister.
Mr. Yang Jiechi and Mr. Ajit Doval briefed the Prime Minister on the 20th round of Talks between Special Representatives of China and India on the Boundary Question, held earlier in the day.
The Prime Minister fondly recalled his visit to Xiamen for the 9th BRICS Summit in September 2017, and his meeting with President Xi Jinping there. The Prime Minister said that a strong India-China relationship is important not only for the mutual benefit of the people of India and China, but also for the region and the world.
President's Secretariat
President of India Honours Freedom Fighters on the 78th anniversary of ‘Quit India Movement’
The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, honoured and felicitated 202 freedom fighters from across the country on the occasion of 78th anniversary of Quit India Day today .
Every year, the President of India hosts an ‘At Home’ Reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan on the anniversary of the Quit India Movement - 9th August - to honour freedom fighters. This year ‘At Home’ Reception could not be organised in view of Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, State/UT Governments have been requested to honour and felicitate freedom fighters with a shawl and angavastram by District Magistrate/Addl District Magistrate/Sub Divisional Magistrate at their homes on behalf of the President. Rashtrapati Bhavan provided Angvastram and shawls to the State/UT Governments through their Resident Commissioners.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
COVID-19 Vaccination Update
More than 46.23 Crore vaccine doses provided to States/UTs
More than 2.18 Crore balance and unutilized doses still available with States/UTs and private hospitals to be administered
The Union Government is committed to accelerating the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country. The new phase of universalization of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from 21st June 2021. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain.
As part of the nationwide vaccination drive, Government of India has been supporting the States and UTs by providing them COVID Vaccines free of cost. In the new phase of the universalization of the COVID19 vaccination drive, the Union Government will procure and supply  75% of the vaccines being produced by the vaccine manufacturers in the country to States and UTs.
|
|
VACCINE DOSES
|
|

|
|
SUPPLIED
|
|
46,23,27,530
|
|
IN PIPELINE
|
|
1,20,70,820
|
|
CONSUMPTION
|
|
44,29,95,780
|
|
BALANCE AVAILABLE
|
|
2,18,10,422
More than 46.23 crore  vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far, through all sources and a further 1,20,70,820 doses are in the pipeline.
Of this, the total consumption including wastages is 44,29,95,780 doses .
More than 2.18 Cr  balance and unutilized COVID Vaccine doses are still available with the States/UTs and private hospitals to be administered.
Ministry of Steel
Production Capacity of Steel Plants
The details of steel plants in the country, along with their capacity, production and capacity utilisation, during April-July, 2020 are given at Annexure-I. Steel is a deregulated sector. The Government lays down the policy guidelines and establishes the institutional mechanism/structure for creating conducive environment for improving efficiency and performance of the steel sector.
Annexure I
State-Wise Details on Crude Steel for period April- July, 2020 
|
|
State
|
|
Units
|
|
Capacity#

|
|
Production

|
|
Capacity Utilization|
|
EASTERN REGION
|
|
|
|
Arunachal Pradesh
|
|
3
|
|
125.0
|
|
0.0
|
|
0
|
|
Assam
|
|
6
|
|
131.0
|
|
14.2
|
|
32
|
|
Bihar
|
|
15
|
|
803.0
|
|
118.2
|
|
44
|
|
Jharkhand
|
|
45
|
|
19707.0
|
|
4133.3
|
|
63
|
|
Meghalaya
|
|
5
|
|
181.0
|
|
4.7
|
|
8
|
|
Odisha
|
|
53
|
|
25370.0
|
|
5377.6
|
|
64
|
|
Tripura
|
|
1
|
|
30.0
|
|
2.4
|
|
24
|
|
West Bengal
|
|
42
|
|
9934.6
|
|
1639.9
|
|
50
|
|
Eastern Region Total
|
|
170
|
|
56281.6
|
|
11290.2
|
|
60
|
|
WESTERN REGION
|
|
|
|
Chhattisgarh
|
|
79
|
|
18785.2
|
|
3224.7
|
|
51
|
|
Dadra and Nagar Haveli
|
|
19
|
|
296.0
|
|
41.5
|
|
42
|
|
Daman and Diu
|
|
3
|
|
46.0
|
|
5.5
|
|
36
|
|
Goa
|
|
12
|
|
481.0
|
|
105.1
|
|
66
|
|
Gujarat
|
|
59
|
|
12754.0
|
|
2168.7
|
|
51
|
|
Madhya Pradesh
|
|
9
|
|
553.0
|
|
79.4
|
|
43
|
|
Maharashtra
|
|
55
|
|
11960.5
|
|
1816.1
|
|
46
|
|
Western Region Total
|
|
236
|
|
44875.7
|
|
7441.1
|
|
50
|
|
NORTHERN REGION
|
|
|
|
Delhi
|
|
2
|
|
16.0
|
|
1.8
|
|
33
|
|
Haryana
|
|
10
|
|
952.6
|
|
88.0
|
|
28
|
|
Himachal Pradesh
|
|
25
|
|
1139.0
|
|
128.1
|
|
34
|
|
Jammu and Kashmir
|
|
8
|
|
189.0
|
|
23.3
|
|
37
|
|
Punjab
|
|
119
|
|
4924.0
|
|
503.0
|
|
31
|
|
Rajasthan
|
|
36
|
|
1176.0
|
|
97.5
|
|
25
|
|
Uttar Pradesh
|
|
46
|
|
1617.0
|
|
212.0
|
|
39
|
|
Uttarakhand
|
|
42
|
|
1559.0
|
|
163.9
|
|
32
|
|
Northern Region Total
|
|
288
|
|
11572.6
|
|
1217.7
|
|
32
|
|
SOUTHERN REGION
|
|
|
|
Andhra Pradesh
|
|
27
|
|
8391.0
|
|
1127.4
|
|
40
|
|
Karnataka
|
|
29
|
|
15149.0
|
|
3163.7
|
|
63
|
|
Kerala
|
|
29
|
|
480.0
|
|
55.9
|
|
35
|
|
Puducherry
|
|
10
|
|
340.0
|
|
42.1
|
|
37
|
|
Tamil Nadu
|
|
99
|
|
3766.0
|
|
438.5
|
|
35
|
|
Telangana
|
|
26
|
|
1443.0
|
|
282.4
|
|
59
|
|
Southern Region Total
|
|
220
|
|
29569.0
|
|
5110.1
|
|
52
|
|
All Region Total
|
|
914
|
|
142298.9
|
|
25059.1
|
|
53
This Information was given by the Union Minister for Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
Cabinet
Cabinet approves the proposal for increase in authorised capital and equity support to India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited 
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the proposal as per following:
- To provide additional equity support of Rs. 5,300 crore to IIFCL in the financial year 2019-20 through regular budgetary support and / or through issuance of recapitalisation bonds as per terms and tenor,including status with regard to repo-ability / Statutory Liquidity Ratio  status as well as the manner and timing of their issuance and placement, as decided by the Department of Economic Affairs.
- The corresponding increase in authorised capital of IIFCL from Rs. 6,000 crore to Rs. 10,000 crore.
Major Impact
This will enable IIFCL to create requisite headroom for borrowing, thus enabling it to finance big ticket infrastructure projects in line with Government of India’s target to invest Rs. 100 lakh crore in infrastructure sector over the next five years.
Background
IIFCL, a wholly-owned Government of India  company set up in 2006, is the principal entity which provides long term finance to viable infrastructure projects across sectors. It is a Non-Banking Financial Company – Infrastructure Finance Company  registered with RBI since September, 2013.
Government has announced its intention to invest Rs. 100 lakh crore in infrastructure over the next five years. Infrastructure investment to this extent will require large amount of equity and debt. The role of IIFCL in making debt funding possible will be crucial as participation by IIFCL in funding a project opens up possibilities of co-financing by other lenders including larger banks. It is therefore necessary to infuse additional capital in IIFCL to enable it to fulfil its mandated role of financing major infrastructure projects.